Submarine safety device



April 29, 1930. v JQRGENSEN ET AL SUBMARINE SAFETY DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8, 1928 INVENTORS Patented Apr. 29, 1930 PAT VICTOR EMANUEL JOBGENSEN, .T HOBVALD JOHANNES JOBGENSEN, AND OLUF KRISTIAN JORGENSEN, F HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK SUBMABINE SAFETY DEVICE Application filed March 8, 1928. Serial No. 259,987.

This invention relates to improvements in submarine'safety devices and has for its ob? ject to provide a safety-buoy, of a size and buoyancy large enuogh to shelter and lift a person to the surface of the water, whenever an accident befalls a submarine, causing the latter to founder. I

In the present invention due'care has been given to the unfavorable conditions under which a device of this kind may be expected to operate, and the said device has in view thereof been provided with suitable air-tubes for appropriate use during rescue operations, telephone, light, and a plurality of other safety means, as will hereinafter be more fully described, in order to insure success.

As this device is simple of design and construction, the cost of installing and making the same should be comparatively low.

WVith the above and other objects in view, this invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrange ments of parts, hereinafter fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying 2 drawings forming parts of this specification, and in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all views, and in which:

Figure 1 shows our device in position, as

part of the upper structure of a submarine,

when ready for use; Fig. 2is a vertical transverse sectional view of our device; Fig. 3 is a sectional top plan. bottom view of same; while Figs. 4 and 5 are special detail views,

and Fig. 6 is a detail transverse sectional view taken on line aa in Fig. 2, illustrating the relative position of the plates and the perforations in the top-section or lid.

The construction and use of the said device would best be understood from a concrete, imaginary case. Thus, when a submarine meets with an accident and as a result settles on the bottom of the ocean, the operation of the said device with the consecutive manipulation of the constituent parts, as relative to one another, will be explained at successive stages.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 indicates the embodiment of our de- 56 vice, comprising a substantially cylindrical tube 11 having an upwardly tapered section 12, and terminating in a somewhat pyramidical top-section 13. A

The-saiddevice embraces at its lower end a compartment-section 14, that is an annular enclosure formed in such amanner, that the upper portion thereof, .or cover, 15, to some extent constitutes the bottom of our device, when the latter is detached for rescue purposes, as will clearly be understood as this description proceeds, while-the lower portion, or pendant 16, of said annular enclosure is stationary and forms part of the submarine structure, being connected to the latterin an integral manner.

The saidlower section 14 is constructed with a hatch 20, separatingthe center space 21, formedby the said annular compartment 14, from the interior of the submarine. The said hatch20 comprises a double door, 22 and 170 23, respectively, of which especially the inner member 23 is adapted to make a close fitting joint with the annular compartment 14, as theformer is provided with a projectingedge, or ridge 24 in order to engage a recess-25 formed upon the inner wall 26- of the said compartment; at the bottom of said recess may be placed the conventional rubber gas ket 19 to insure a compact fitting. The said inner member 23- is, as disclosed, subjectto a pressureexerted by the outer door-member 22, the latter operating on the principle of a lever, and the said pressure being accomplished by means of a screwmember 28. WVhen the hatch thus is closed watertight a .85 locking mechanism 29 secures it properly in place.

Above the said space 21 is another hatchmember 30, constructed, and operating in a similar manner, as just described.

The device is provided with a gauge 17 adapted to show whether the compartment 14 has a relative vacuum, which is necessary in order to insure that the two sections 15 and 16 would stick inseparably together at forated space 56,- when properly applied, thereby making said buoy 'air and watertight.

The-operation of this device, as described, and the manifold functions in regard to rescue-works, to which this device, or its oonstituent parts, may be. put, will briefly be summarized hereinafter.

Then an accident happens to a submarine,

, and the latter as a result settles on the bottom of the ocean, the first stepv to be taken by the entombed men before getting into the rescuebuoy is to ascertain by means of the gauge 17, that the compartment 14 has a relative vacuum. The hatch '20 is then opened, and the person first to be rescued enters the space 21 and through the second hatch the buoy proper, whereupon he securely closes the latter hatch, while the crew, as long as any are left behind in the submarine, close the lower hatch 20, preferably when notified by telephone by the person in the buoy to perform such act. The person in the buoy then makes sure that the valve 45 is closed, but the valve '1 44 open, whereupon he proceeds by means of the pump 40'to eliminate the vacuum from the compartment 14 with the result, that the buoy proper after a short while will detach itself from its footing 16, and ascend to the surface of the water. Qnce above, the person in the buoy may open the valve 57, and, if air should be needed in the submarine, convey to the interior of the latter such air by-means of the said pump 40, it being understood, that in order to perform such an operation the valve 44 will now be closed, and the valve 45 open, while a strong rubber hose of a suitable length, connecting the lower end of the channel 42 at 70, with the submarine air-tube 47, will serve as an agent for the said purpose. It is further to be understood, that at the time the buoy has been salvaged by some ship, the said rubber air-tube may be disconnected at and attached to some more powerful medium for the purpose of sending a greater supply of air back to the submarine. Although it would be well to provide each submarine with several buoys, it would nevertheless in most cases be necessary to lower the said buoy down to the submarine again for one or more rescue expeditions, inasmuch as it would not be practical to construct the said buoy to accommodate more than one to three persons at the time.

In dispatching the said buoy down again, this action may be facilitated by attaching chains, or ropes, to the projections, or hooks, 52 provided with such object in view. It will be observed, that in lowering the buoy the hatch 30 remains open permitting the water to fill the interior of the said buoy. Once the latter has been placed in position again, that is connected to the stationary bottom section 16, an exterior pumping action takes place emptying the compartment 14 of water and air bymeans of theoutlet tube 35. By similar action the water from the interior of the buoy iswithdrawn by means of an outlet tube 37. As the replacement, that is, the act of connecting the sections 15 and 16 together, may sometimes prove a little difiicult in case of a bottom swell, it is thought, that-the said sections may conveniently be formed with adjoiningedges of a design, as shown in Fig. 5.

It is obvious that supplies, if needed, may also be transferred to the sumarine through the said system of operations.

It 'is obvious that changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts, as shown, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit'of the invention, and we do not therefore limit ourselves to the construction and arrangement shown and described herein.

WVhat we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A device as described, comprising a buoy of a substantially cylindrical shape having a tapered top-section, a pyramidical lid hinged ly connected to the latter and having disposed a plurality of areas provided with perforated air holes, cover plates arranged outside the latter and fastened at their top and sides to the said lid, corresponding plates disposed inside the said perforated areas and being formed at their lower ends with an outwardly extending curvature to lead off the flow of water, a substantially symmetrical enclosure within and in the center of said lid, the said enclosure being formed with a perforated top section, a valve fitting the latter,- means for adjusting thesaid valve during, operation and further means for tightly securing the said lid to the said upper part of the buoy.

2. A submarine safety device, comprising a substantially cylindrical tube having hingedly connected thereto a pyramidical top-section,the latter being formed with an inner air chamber of tapered design, controlled by a valve member, the said top-section having its outer wall provided with a plurality of perforated areas, a corresponding, number of screenplates similar in shape to the said areas and positioned without and within said perforated areas respectively and cooperat-- ing with the latter; a cylindrical tube, or middle section of the device, arranged with an airpump, the-latter connecting with a bridge-system of tubes having suitable inlets and outlets; a semi-circumferential tube provided with open end portions, and a direct outlet; a lower section of said device comprising two substantially hemispherical parts, cooperatingrespectively with the said system of tubes and with an inlet tube to the submarine, and a rubber air tube for connecting the respective outlets with the interior of a submarine.

3. A. safety buoy comprising a substantially cylindrical tube formed with a neck portion at its'top and having its lowerpart are;

. closed by a bottom member adapted to engage and form a compact fitting with a counterpart substantially corresponding in shape to saidbottom member, means arranged in said bottomparts for entering the said buoy, a plurality of tubes formed in the latter for the supply of air and as an outlet for water, a pyramidical lid attached to the said top, and meansv for admitting air through the latter, and further means for disposing of the inflow of water, substantially as shown and described. 7

4. A device of the class described, comprising a buoy of substantially cylindrical shape, the said buoy consisting of a hinged pyramidical section provided with air-inlets and means for disposing of an inflow of water, the said buoy being provided with a plurality of tubes having valves disposed outside and inside the said buoy, the bottom of the latter being formed with downwardly projecting edges adapted to engage those of a counterpart forming a seat for the said buoy, a hatch disposed in the said bottom and comprising two members, an upper and a lower, interengaged by means of a compressmg member, a ridge provlded near the edge of the said lower door-member, and adapted to make a close fitting with a corresponding recess formed in the inner ring-wall of the said bottom member, and means for securely locking said double door.

5. A device of the class described, comprising a buoy of a substantially cylindrical shape, consisting of a central tubular section provided with portholes and having hooks and eyelets arranged upon its outer side for suitable attachments, a pyramidical top-section hingedly connected to the said center section and means for firmly locking them together in an airtight manner, the lower P01451011 of the said tubular section being formed with a bottom part consisting of an outer ring-formed, substantially semi-cylindrical section having in transverse cut the approximate shape of an inverted U, and a center space formed by the inner wall of said inverted U-formed section, a hatch member arranged to cooperate with said center space and means for securely opening and closing the former.

6. A device of the class described, comprising a buoy of substantially cylindrical shape consisting of a center tubular section provided with portholes and having hooks and eyelets arranged upon its outer side for suitable attachments, a pyramidical top-section hingedly connected to the said center section and means for firmly locking them together in an airtight manner, the lower portion of the said tubular section being formed with a bottom part consisting of an outer ringiormed, substantially semi-cylindrical section having in transverse cut the approximate shape of an inverted U, and a center able attachments, a pyramidical top-section hingedly connected to the said center section and means for firmly locking them together in an airtight manner, the lower portion of the said tubular section being formed with a bottom part consisting of an outerv ringformed, substantially semi-cylindrical section having in transversecut the approximate shape of an inverted U, and a center-space formed by the inner wall of said inverted U- tormed section, a hatch member adapted to cooperate with said center space, and means for opening and securely closing'the latter, an air pump connected with a plurality of tubes mounted within the said buoy and valves arranged upon the said tubes as a means of control during operation.

Signed at Hempstead, N. Y., in the county of Nassau and State of New York, this 28th day of February, A. D. 1928.

VICTOR EMANUEL JORGENSEN.

THORVALD JOHANNES JORGENSEN. OLUF KRISTIAN JORGENSEN. 

